UNDERSTANDING THE GIFT OF DIVERS KINDS OF TONGUES.

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*UNDERSTANDING THE GIFT OF DIVERS KINDS OF TONGUES.*

*Scripture Treasure.*

1 Cor 12:7, 10  *But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.*

*"......to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:"*

*Insight and Highlight.*

1 Cor 14:39 *"......forbid not to speak with tongues."*

*Scripture Commentaries.*

The gift of tongues is one of the nine gifts of the Spirit.

The gift of the *"....divers kinds of tongues is the sixth gift followed closely by the *".....interpretation of tongues:...."*

These two gifts are along with five other gifts like *".....the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge....faith...... the gifts of healing.....the working of miracles;.... prophecy;....... discerning of spirits;....."*, 1 Cor 7-10.

Paul teaches us how people could purposefully use the gift of divers of tongues.

To have the gift is one thing, but to efficiently and effectively use it are the reasons behind Paul's writings in 1 Cor 14.

Paul set a blueprint for what the gifts stand for, the character of the tongue speaking believer, the gift of tongue itself, the importance of understanding it, the spiritual voidness due to its lack of understanding and the emotionally complex interpretation, if any, it poses to its listeners and hearer.

In these series, we hope to offer Paul's

unique and compelling take on the gift of divers kinds of tongues.

Today, we will look at what the gift means. In other words, Paul's admonition of the gift itself.

First, the gift is from God.

1 Cor 12:4-6 tells us *Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.*

*And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.*

*And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.*

It is good, just as any gift from God.

The arrangement of the gifts by Paul was not in accordance to their importance or higher order.

Each of the gifts is just as important as the others, and none is more esteemed while others are less esteemed.

Each is given by the same Spirit, by the same Lord, and the same God works all in all.

No one, and of a truth no one could, challenge Paul's submissions and teachings because he spoke in tongues more than any of them.

This he highlighted by stressing its importance. He wrote in 1 Cor 14:18   *"I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:"*

By his statement here, he demonstrated the readiness to speak more in tongues while encouraging others to do so.

So, there can be people who could speak a thousand tongues and are never tired of speaking tongues.

In 1 Cor 14:19, he made reference to his ability to speak *"......ten thousand words in an unknown tongue."*

Second, as the name of the gift suggests, it is diverse and of many languages.

Acts 2: 4-12 says

*And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.*

*And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.*

*Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.*

*And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?*

*And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?*

*Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,*

*Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,*

*Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.*

*And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?*

Third, the gift was a product of the promise and a symbol of fire for equipping the saints for service.

It is the baptism of or by fire.

Jesus, before His ascension, promised his disciples:

Acts 1:8 *But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.*

In Acts 2:1-5, they received the promise.

John the Baptist told us in Matt 3:11

*l indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:*

Tongue speaking is a sign that follows those who have been baptized by fire.

It is the outward physical manifestation of a spiritual power that comes from the Spirit like a dove upon the believer.

Jesus experienced this at His baptism.

Lk 3:22 *And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.*

Though it was not recorded that Jesus spoke in tongues after He was baptized in the Holy Ghost when the dove descended upon Him but it is implied here that He was baptized with power.

The event at Pentecost records: *"And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them."*, Acts 2:2, is implied by the dove that descended on Jesus. It was symbolic of the coming down from heaven as a rushing mighty wind as was witnessed at Pentecost.

Though one could say Jesus may not be a beneficiary of what He could freely give but we must remember that He freely allowed us to be baptized by water, yet He was also baptized. He told John that He must be baptized to *"fulfill all righteousness..."*, Matt 3:15.

Fourth, the baptism of fire evidenced by speaking in tongues is the turning point for every believer to begin service with boldness and power.

We must remember that Christ told them that they shall receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon them. When this happens, they will be empowered to be His witnesses, ref Acts 1:8.

Christ's promise was for the disciples to wait in Jerusalem, Acts 1:4, for the power after which they could start the great work of commission.

The importance of this event is highlighted in Acts 10:38, which says that Jesus did not start doing the work of His earthly ministry until He had received power by the Holy Ghost.

*How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him*

Immediately after the dove, a symbol of the Spirit descended upon Him, it was recorded in Lk 3:23 which says *"And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age......"*.This implied Jesus began His ministry immediately at the age of 30 as stipulated in Numb 4:3 which states that Levites were to begin their service at 30, and this is also referenced in 1 Chronicles 23:3.

Fifth, the gift of divers tongue is important because only God hears and understands tongues.

Paul says when you operate in this gift, you

speak to God because only He understands.

So he who speaks in tongues does not speak to man but unto God

1 Cor 14:2 *For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.*

*Remorse corner.*

Paul is not forbidding tongue speaking.

*Call to Word action.*

He says in 1 Cor 14:39 *"......forbid not to speak with tongues."*

*The Christian clarion duty.*

The baptism of fire is the foundation of the gift of diverse tongues.

John 1:12

*But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:*

*Prayer.*

Lord, baptize me with Your fire evidenced by speaking in tongues, in Jesus name.

Good morning all and have a blessed day.

God bless you.

Shalom.